Page 75 of An Irish Hope

“Ash.” He opened his arms. “Come here.”

Oh! She stepped into his hug, and his arms went around her, and she finally, finally relaxed. She closed her eyes, and shifted so she could hear the reassuring thump of his heart. Smell his scent. Savour the feel of the bristles on his chin abrading her cheek as he placed his face near hers.

“Would it make a difference if I said I wanted more too?” he murmured.

She jerked back, bumping his head with hers. “Oops, sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

She studied his eyes. They couldn’t lie. “Did… did you mean that?”

He nodded. “I know it’s been tricky, and still is in some ways, but I mean it. I want to be friends, and more-than-friends with you too.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

A glow began deep in her heart, spiralling outwards, until every part of her felt warm and intensely alive. She reached up, touched his face, capturing his cheek in her fingers as he smiled.

“Ahem.” A waitress smiled at them. “Can I get you two anything?”

Aisling blushed and scooted back into her side of the booth, while Andy sat opposite. Then, after a quick perusal of the menu, they ordered teas and scones and he explained about Greta. About how she’d led him on. How he’d not coped with the break up. How kissing Aisling had been a spontaneous thing, until he remembered his vow to God.

“But I was reminded last weekend that God is far more merciful than we realise, and it was actually more about my pride and wanting to prove myself to God than anything He was truly asking me to do.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you for telling me.” Now she understood, and it made so much sense.

“I’m sorry I didn’t before. I just felt ashamed.”

She shook her head. “You’ve got nothing to be ashamed for. She obviously didn’t love you the way she should.”

His eyes asked a question she couldn’t answer yet. How should he be loved? Thoroughly. With all a woman could offer. She should love him in a way that helped him be his best. Like Jesus did. But she couldn’t say any of that, and fortunately their teas and scones arrived so she didn’t have to say anything like that. It was too early to say anything like that, anyway. It was enough to feel like they’d solidified into being friends again. Although, judging from the way his hand kept caressing hers, maybe they were at the more-than-friends stage too.

“Oh, I just remembered. I asked Grady to meet us here today. I hope that’s okay. He wants to apologise.”

“What for?”

“For something that happened last Friday night.”

“At the pub?”

He nodded. “It was a mess, but I’ll let him explain, especially as he was the one who caused most of it.”

“I’m really happy to not think about him right now,” she said. “Not when I finally have you.”

* * *

Her sweet words landed in the soft spaces of Andy’s heart. Her eyes were luminous, and he would take that smile into his dreams tonight, for sure. There was something so precious and special about this moment, like everything was finally clicking into place, and yet it felt almost impossible how quickly things had turned.

He really wanted to kiss her. Like, really wanted to. But for now he was happy to revel in the softness of Aisling’s skin, the sparkle in her eyes, the light in her face. She was happiness personified. And while she’d had her feisty moments, there was never any of the hard edges he’d always seen in Greta. Aisling was as lovely as her name’s meaning: a dream, a vision.

A moment later, he experienced a flash, like a curtain to the future was pulled back. And in that moment he could see a picture of them working together in schools, then returning to a home and their family. His heart thudded, and he glanced down. There would be time enough for that.

She mentioned about Rory’s Christmas wedding. “And if you are free it’d be wonderful to have you come.”

“As your date?”

She smiled. “Yes please.”